Shooting an Elephant

Which statement describes the main theme of the essay?

• Attempting to exert your control over another person or creature will only result in violence and people’s eventual death.

• It is safer to act as other people expect you to, rather than to draw attention to the things that make you different.

• No one has a natural inclination towards violence and conquering, rather it is something that is taught and learned.

• In the process of trying to exert control over others, we can lose a sense of who we are and our own power.

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CCSS.RL.11-12.2

Which detail from the text best supports the answer to the previous question?

• “All I knew was that I was stuck between my hatred of the empire I served and my rage against the evil- spirited little beasts who tried to make my job impossible.” (Paragraph 2)

• “I had no intention of shooting the elephant — I had merely sent for the rifle to defend myself if necessary — and it is always unnerving to have a crowd following you.” (Paragraph 5)

• “but in reality I was only an absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind. I perceived in this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys.” (Paragraph 7)

• “I felt that I had got to put an end to that dreadful noise. It seemed dreadful to see the great beast lying there, powerless to move and yet powerless to die, and not even to be able to finish him.” (Paragraph 12)

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Which statement best captures the author’s point of view in the narrative essay?

• First person point of view allows the author to describe the motivations of people in positions of authority.

• First person point of view allows the author to describe how people can recognize the value of all living creatures.

• Third person point of view allows the author to explain to readers that our moral codes are constantly changing.

• Third person point of view allows the author to explain to readers how all people have evil in them.

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Which quote from the text best supports the answer to the previous question?

• “It was a tiny incident in itself, but it gave me a better glimpse than I had had before of the real nature of imperialism.” (Paragraph 3)

• “When I pulled the trigger I did not hear the bang or feel the kick — one never does when a shot goes home — but I heard the devilish roar of glee that went up from the crowd.” (Paragraph 11)

• “It seemed dreadful to see the great beast lying there, powerless to move and yet powerless to die, and not even to be able to finish him.” (Paragraph 12)

• “I often wondered whether any of the others grasped that I had done it solely to avoid looking a fool.” (Paragraph 14) “I often wondered whether any of the others grasped that I had done it solely to avoid looking a fool.” (Paragraph 14)

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Why don’t the Burmese people like the narrator?

• He has put many of them in jail.

• He is an unfair officer of the law.

• He is a European in an official position.

• He often mistreats the Burmese people.

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How does the narrator feel about the British’s rule in Burma?

• He doesn’t agree with it.

• He agrees with it.

• He actively challenges it.

• He doesn’t care about it.

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The narrator is not convinced there is an elephant loose until he...

• finds the man killed by the elephant.

• sees the elephant for himself.

• talks to the people in town.

• finds the elephant’s tracks.

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CCSS.RL.11-12.6

Why doesn’t the narrator want to shoot the elephant?

• He has never killed a living creature before.

• The elephant appears to be harmless now.

• He would be forced to pay the mahout for killing it.

• The elephant could become more aggressive.

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Why does the narrator decide he must kill the elephant?

• He can’t risk the elephant hurting anyone else.

• He feels pressured by the crowd’s expectations.

• He wants to prove to himself that he’s brave.

• He’s afraid he’ll get in trouble with his superiors.

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The narrator finally makes his decision based on...

• the advice from a Burman.

• what he feels is right in his heart.

• what is going to be safest for him.

• how he will be perceived by the crowd.

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